Implementation of Brain Breaks® in the Classroom and Effects on Attitudes toward Physical Activity in a Macedonian School Setting

Watson A., Timperio A., Brown H., Best K., Hesketh K.D.

Physical activity is associated with many physical and mental health benefits, however many children do not meet the national physical activity guidelines. While schools provide an ideal setting to promote children’s physical activity, adding physical activity to the school day can be difficult given time constraints often imposed by competing key learning areas. Classroom-based physical activity may provide an opportunity to increase school-based physical activity while concurrently improving academic-related outcomes. The primary aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the impact of classroom-based physical activity interventions on academic-related outcomes. A secondary aim was to evaluate the impact of these lessons on physical activity levels over the study duration. A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, ERIC, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO) was performed in January 2016 and updated in January 2017. Studies that investigated the association between classroom-based physical activity interventions and academic-related outcomes in primary (elementary) school-aged children were included. Meta-analyses were conducted in Review Manager, with effect sizes calculated separately for each outcome assessed. Thirty-nine articles met the inclusion criteria for the review, and 16 provided sufficient data and appropriate design for inclusion in the meta-analyses. Studies investigated a range of academic-related outcomes including classroom behaviour (e.g. on-task behaviour), cognitive functions (e.g. executive function), and academic achievement (e.g. standardised test scores). Results of the meta-analyses showed classroom-based physical activity had a positive effect on improving on-task and reducing off-task classroom behaviour (standardised mean difference = 0.60 (95% CI: 0.20,1.00)), and led to improvements in academic achievement when a progress monitoring tool was used (standardised mean difference = 1.03 (95% CI: 0.22,1.84)). However, no effect was found for cognitive functions (standardised mean difference = 0.33 (95% CI: -0.11,0.77)) or physical activity (standardised mean difference = 0.40 (95% CI: -1.15,0.95)). Results suggest classroom-based physical activity may have a positive impact on academic-related outcomes. However, it is not possible to draw definitive conclusions due to the level of heterogeneity in intervention components and academic-related outcomes assessed. Future studies should consider the intervention period when selecting academic-related outcome measures, and use an objective measure of physical activity to determine intervention fidelity and effects on overall physical activity levels.

Bilgrami Z., McLaughlin L., Milanaik R., Adesman A.

Ren H., Zhou Z., Liu W.K., Wang X., Yin Z.

This study examined the relationships between energy balance-related behaviours (EBRBs) outside school hours and obesity in Chinese primary school students. We also explored the influence of gender on those relationships.The study sample was a cross-sectional cohort of 5032 Chinese children who were enrolled in grades 1-6 in primary schools in five Chinese cities and whose mean ages ranged from seven years and three months to 11.9 years. The children's parents completed a survey on their child's height, weight and EBRBs outside school hours.The response rate was 97%, and the reported rates of overweight and obesity were 13.6% and 13.8%, respectively. The obesity rates were higher in boys and lower grade children. Most EBRBs varied between boys and girls and with increased grade levels. The amount of time spent on academic-related activities, screen viewing, outdoor activities and sleep was mostly associated with obesity on weekdays and varied by gender.Rate of obesity was alarmingly high in the primary school Chinese children in this cohort, especially in younger children. Excessive time spent on academic-related activities outside school hours, inadequate sleep, physical inactivity and higher levels of screen viewing were major contributors to obesity in these Chinese children.

Schmidt M., Benzing V., Kamer M.

Classroom-based physical activity breaks are postulated to positively impact children’s attention during their school day. However, empirical evidence for this claim is scarce and the role of cognitive engagement in enhancing children’s attentional performance is unexplored in studies on physical activity breaks. The aim of the present study was therefore to disentangle the separate and/or combined effects of physical exertion and cognitive engagement induced by physical activity breaks on primary school children’s attention. In addition, the role of children’s affective reactions to acute interventions at school was investigated. Using a 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design, 92 children between the ages of 11 and 12 years (M = 11.77, SD = 0.41) were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions: (1) combo group (physical activity with high cognitive demands), (2) cognition group (sedentary with high cognitive demands), (3) physical group (physical activity with low cognitive demands), and (4) control group (sedentary with low cognitive demands). Attention and affect were measured before and immediately after a 10-minute intervention. ANCOVAs revealed that whereas physical exertion had no effect on any measure of children’s attentional performance, cognitive engagement was the crucial factor leading to increased focused attention and enhanced processing speed. Mediational analyses showed that changes in positive affect during the interventions mediated the effect between cognitive engagement and focused attention as well as between cognitive engagement and processing speed. These surprising results are discussed in the light of theories predicting both facilitating and deteriorative effects of positive affect on cognitive performance.

Pavelka J., Husarova D., Sevcikova A., Madarasova Geckova A.

Donnelly J.E., Hillman C.H., Castelli D., Etnier J.L., Lee S., Tomporowski P., Lambourne K., Szabo-Reed A.N.

The relationship among physical activity (PA), fitness, cognitive function, and academic achievement in children is receiving considerable attention. The utility of PA to improve cognition and academic achievement is promising but uncertain; thus, this position stand will provide clarity from the available science.The purpose of this study was to answer the following questions: 1) among children age 5-13 yr, do PA and physical fitness influence cognition, learning, brain structure, and brain function? 2) Among children age 5-13 yr, do PA, physical education (PE), and sports programs influence standardized achievement test performance and concentration/attention?This study used primary source articles published in English in peer-reviewed journals. Articles that presented data on, PA, fitness, or PE/sport participation and cognition, learning, brain function/structure, academic achievement, or concentration/attention were included.Two separate searches were performed to identify studies that focused on 1) cognition, learning, brain structure, and brain function and 2) standardized achievement test performance and concentration/attention. PubMed, ERIC, PsychInfo, SportDiscus, Scopus, Web of Science, Academic Search Premier, and Embase were searched (January 1990-September 2014) for studies that met inclusion criteria. Sixty-four studies met inclusion criteria for the first search (cognition/learning/brain), and 73 studies met inclusion criteria for the second search (academic achievement/concentration).Articles were grouped by study design as cross-sectional, longitudinal, acute, or intervention trials. Considerable heterogeneity existed for several important study parameters; therefore, results were synthesized and presented by study design.A majority of the research supports the view that physical fitness, single bouts of PA, and PA interventions benefit children's cognitive functioning. Limited evidence was available concerning the effects of PA on learning, with only one cross-sectional study meeting the inclusion criteria. Evidence indicates that PA has a relationship to areas of the brain that support complex cognitive processes during laboratory tasks. Although favorable results have been obtained from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies related to academic achievement, the results obtained from controlled experiments evaluating the benefits of PA on academic performance are mixed, and additional, well-designed studies are needed.Limitations in evidence meeting inclusion criteria for this review include lack of randomized controlled trials, limited studies that are adequately powered, lack of information on participant characteristics, failure to blind for outcome measures, proximity of PA to measurement outcomes, and lack of accountability for known confounders. Therefore, many studies were ranked as high risk for bias because of multiple design limitations.The present systematic review found evidence to suggest that there are positive associations among PA, fitness, cognition, and academic achievement. However, the findings are inconsistent, and the effects of numerous elements of PA on cognition remain to be explored, such as type, amount, frequency, and timing. Many questions remain regarding how to best incorporate PA within schools, such as activity breaks versus active lessons in relation to improved academic achievement. Regardless, the literature suggests no indication that increases in PA negatively affect cognition or academic achievement and PA is important for growth and development and general health. On the basis of the evidence available, the authors concluded that PA has a positive influence on cognition as well as brain structure and function; however, more research is necessary to determine mechanisms and long-term effect as well as strategies to translate laboratory findings to the school environment. Therefore, the evidence category rating is B. The literature suggests that PA and PE have a neutral effect on academic achievement. Thus, because of the limitations in the literature and the current information available, the evidence category rating for academic achievement is C.

González C.S., Gómez N., Navarro V., Cairós M., Quirce C., Toledo P., Marrero-Gordillo N.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared obesity as a 21st-century epidemic after reaching global proportions. In Spain, this disease is suffered by 62% of the population, leading to the emergence of new health problems. Increasing childhood obesity in the world is a direct result of changes in the lifestyles of the population. Therefore, in this paper we present a gamification training program to prevent childhood obesity based on motor games, and active videogames developed for overweight children ages 8-12. The design of the program consisted of: group sessions in a school setting, individual sessions at home for the children, and developing healthy habits to help families. The motivation and the effectiveness of the gamification training program were studied. The results involving biometric variables, learning healthy habits and experience in the intervention were highly satisfactory. We design a training program based on a GBL and gamification approaches.We work in formal and informal contexts (school and home) as informal learning.We present a cuasi-experimental study developed with children from 8 to 12 years old.We analyze the experience from different dimensions (medical, learning and UX).

Edginton C.R., Chin M.K., Demirhan G., Asci H., Bulca Y., Erturan-Ögut E.

Carlson J.A., Engelberg J.K., Cain K.L., Conway T.L., Mignano A.M., Bonilla E.A., Geremia C., Sallis J.F.

To investigate the relation of classroom physical activity breaks to students' physical activity and classroom behavior.Six elementary-school districts in California implemented classroom physical activity interventions in 2013-2014. Students' (N=1322) accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during school and teachers' (N=397) reports of implementation and classroom behavior were assessed in 24 schools at two time points (both post-intervention). Mixed-effects models accounted for nested data.Minutes/day of activity breaks was positively associated with students' MVPA (βs=.07-.14; ps=.012-.016). Students in classrooms with activity breaks were more likely to obtain 30 min/day of MVPA during school (OR=1.75; p=.002). Implementation was negatively associated with students having a lack of effort in class (β=-.17; p=.042), and student MVPA was negatively associated with students being off task or inattentive in the classroom (β=-.17; p=.042). Students provided with 3-4 physical activity opportunities (classroom breaks, recess, PE, dedicated PE teacher) had ≈5 more min/day of school MVPA than students with no opportunities (B=1.53 min/opportunity; p=.002).Implementing classroom physical activity breaks can improve student physical activity during school and behavior in the classroom. Comprehensive school physical activity programs that include classroom-based activity are likely needed to meet the 30 min/day school physical activity guideline.

Mura G., Vellante M., Nardi A., Machado S., Carta M.

Schools are an ideal setting to implement physical activity programs targeted at youths' learning and intellectual abilities, as exercise has been associated with improvement in cognitive skills and academic proficiency. A systematic review of the literature was performed to examine the effects of school-based physical activity interventions on academic achievement and cognitive outcomes. A search for relevant papers was carried out on PubMed/Medline, Scopus and Google Scholar. Only quasi-experimental and experimental studies were included, if focused on school-based physical activity interventions targeting 3 to 18 year-old healthy pupils, and designed to establish a relationship between exercise performed in a school setting and cognitive/academic performance. Thirty-one papers were retrieved by the search, reporting the findings of twenty-eight school-based physical activity interventions. Most of the included studies were published in the past five years. A large majority of the studies showed positive results in terms of academic achievement and, above all, cognitive skills. In the recent years, the number of studies on school-based physical interventions aimed to establish a relationship between physical activity performed in school setting and cognitive/academic outcomes significantly increased, as well as high quality assessments and designs. This review highlights the effectiveness of school-based physical activity interventions on academic achievement and, above all, on youths' cognitive performance. Some interesting findings come from studies assessing brain functional changes, from interventions targeting culturally diverse or low-income samples, and from interventions where physical activity is in the form of active videogames.

Lü J., Liang L., Feng Y., Li R., Liu Y.

Esteban-Cornejo I., Tejero-Gonzalez C.M., Sallis J.F., Veiga O.L.

The purpose of this report is to perform a systematic review of the evidence on the associations between physical activity and cognition by differentiating between academic and cognitive performance measures. Second-generation questions regarding potential mediators or moderators (i.e., sex, age and psychological variables) of this relationship were also examined.Systematic review.Studies were identified from searches in PubMed, Sportdiscus and ERIC databases from 2000 through 2013. The search process was carried out by two independent researchers.A total of 20 articles met the inclusion criteria, 2 of them analyzed both cognitive and academic performance in relation to physical activity. Four articles (18%) found no association between physical activity and academic performance, 11 (50%) found positive association and one showed negative association (5%). Five articles (23%) found positive association between physical activity and cognitive performance and one showed negative association (5%). The findings of these studies show that cognitive performance is associated with vigorous physical activity and that academic performance is related to general physical activity, but mainly in girls. Results of the review also indicate that type of activity and some psychological factors (i.e., self-esteem, depression) could mediate the association between physical activity and academic performance.Results of the review support that physical activity is associated with cognition, but more research is needed to clarify the role of sex, intensity and type of physical activity and some psychological variables of this association.

Khaokhajorn P., Samipak S., Nithithanasilp S., Tanticharoen M., Amnuaykanjanasin A.

Naphthoquinones are deep red polyketide pigments produced by the ant-pathogenic fungus Ophiocordyceps sp. BCC1869. In culture, biosynthesis of these naphthoquinones remains at a low level during the first 20 days and reaches its maximum production level at approximately 50 days. The MFS transporter gene MFS1 was previously identified in Ophiocordyceps sp. BCC1869 from a subtractive EST library between the fungus grown under naphthoquinone-inductive and naphthoquinone-repressive conditions. We cloned and sequenced this transporter gene, which has an open reading frame of 1505 bp and three introns (48, 52, and 58 bp). Phylogenetic analysis showed this MFS transporter was tightly clustered with fungal riboflavin transporters. Functional analysis of this gene was performed by overexpression of MFS1 under the control of a strong, constitutive promoter. We successfully transformed the fungus with this overexpression plasmid using PEG-protoplast transformation, which generated nine transformants per µg of plasmid. RT-PCR indicated that the MFS1 expression level in the overexpressing strains increased 3- to 10-fold compared to the wild type. HPLC analysis of crude extracts of mutants and wild type demonstrated that four naphthoquinone derivatives, erythrostominone, epierythrostominol, deoxyerythrostominone, and deoxyerythrostominol, were the major naphthoquinones produced and excreted in staggering quantities (20- to 2300-fold) in 7-day old liquid cultures by the mutant C7, compared to the wild type. High resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry verified mass spectra of these purified metabolites. Three other naphthoquinone derivatives, whose structures have not been identified, were also detected in high amount in the mutant liquid cultures.

Hall C.M., Bierman K.L.

Technology can potentially expand the reach and cut the costs of providing effective, evidence-based interventions. This paper reviews existing publications that describe the application and evaluation of technology-assisted interventions for parents of young children. A broad review of the early childhood literature revealed 48 studies describing technology-assisted parent education and interventions. Across these studies, multiple forms of technology were used, including web-based platforms, discussion forums, mobile devices, and video conferencing. Results are described moving from feasibility and acceptability of technology-based delivery systems to more rigorous evaluations examining their impact on parent and child outcomes. Potential exists for technology to deliver interventions to parents. Limitations are discussed including differential acceptability and elevated attrition associated with internet-only intervention delivery.

King A.C., Glanz K., Patrick K.

The explosion of technologic advances in information capture and delivery offers unparalleled opportunities to assess and modify built and social environments in ways that can positively impact health behaviors. This paper highlights some potentially transformative current and emerging trends in the technology arena applicable to environmental context-based assessment and intervention relevant to physical activity and dietary behaviors.A team of experts convened in 2013 to discuss the main issues related to technology use in assessing and changing built environments for health behaviors particularly relevant to obesity prevention. Each expert was assigned a specific domain to describe, commensurate with their research and expertise in the field, along with examples of specific applications. This activity was accompanied by selective examination of published literature to cover the main issues and elucidate relevant applications of technologic tools and innovations in this field.Decisions concerning which technology examples to highlight were reached through discussion and consensus-building among the team of experts. Two levels of impact are highlighted: the "me" domain, which primarily targets measurement and intervention activities aimed at individual-level behaviors and their surrounding environments; and the "we" domain, which generally focuses on aggregated data aimed at groups and larger population segments and locales.The paper ends with a set of challenges and opportunities for significantly advancing the field. Key areas for progress include data collection and expansion, managing technologic considerations, and working across sectors to maximize the population potential of behavioral health technologies.

Chesnais N., Cabagno G., Verret C.

Cet article s’appuie sur un devis mixte convergent associé à une triangulation des données pour mesurer les effets d’un programme de pauses actives sur l’autorégulation émotionnelle des élèves à l’école primaire, en particulier chez des élèves présentant des difficultés comportementales et émotionnelles (DCE). Ainsi, 156 élèves âgés de six à dix ans et leurs sept enseignants ont participé à cette étude. Des questionnaires ont été remplis par les élèves et les enseignants, des observations sur les élèves et des entretiens avec les enseignants ont été réalisés. L’intégration des résultats obtenus révèle les effets favorables d’un programme de pauses actives sur l’autorégulation émotionnelle des élèves, notamment chez les élèves DCE et met en évidence une pluralité de processus d’autorégulation émotionnelle mobilisés par les élèves lors de l’utilisation des pauses actives. Cette étude souligne également l’intérêt et la pertinence de l’utilisation d’une méthodologie mixte associée à une triangulation des données pour analyser les émotions des élèves dans leur contexte, à l’école primaire.

Lu N., Lau P.W., Song H., Zhang Y., GHANI R.B., Wang C.

Physical activity (PA) self-efficacy plays a crucial role in maintaining and enhancing PA behaviors in children. However, the effectiveness of eHealth interventions in boosting PA self-efficacy among children remains uncertain. Furthermore, which behavior change techniques (BCTs) used in eHealth interventions can positively influence children's PA self-efficacy needs further exploration for designing tailored eHealth interventions. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify the effectiveness of eHealth interventions and BCTs in promoting children's PA self-efficacy.

Reyes-Amigo T., Ibarra-Mora J., Aguilar-Farías N., Gómez-Álvarez N., Carrasco-Beltrán H., Zapata-Lamana R., Hurtado-Almonácid J., Páez-Herrera J., Yañez-Sepulveda R., Cortés G., Rolle-Cáceres G., Bezerra A.

BackgroundPhysical inactivity is prevalent in childhood. Schools can be an ideal context to promote the regular practice of physical activity since children spend there a large part of the day. In this sense, an emerging and current trend is active breaks at school. This article presents a study protocol that seeks to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of an intervention with active breaks (ACTIVA-MENTE program) in a school context on physical activity, on-task classroom behavior, and the physical activity enjoyment in schoolchildren.MethodsThe protocol includes children aged 10 to 11 years. Two groups will be randomized (intervention and control groups). The intervention group will use the active break program, ACTIVA-MENTE, which consists of the application of a 4-min, 30-s video with moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity. These breaks will be taken 6 times a day in the classes for 6 weeks. The total physical activity will be measured with accelerometers (Actigraph wGT3X-BT), the on-task behavior through the Direct Behavior Rating Scale and the level of enjoyment through the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale.DiscussionPrevious research reported that active breaks have positive results in physical activity levels. This study will be one of the few to design active breaks through videos without depending on the presence of a physical education teacher and it can also provide new findings on the effectiveness of an active break’s structure (e.g., types of exercises and intensity) on the indicated outcomes.Expected resultsIt is expected that the ACTIVA-MENTE program can be a suitable program for school settings, potentially increasing physical activity levels, and the commitment to the task, as well as be a pleasant moment for the students.Clinical trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT05403996.

Zhao M., Kuan G., Kueh Y.C., Zhou K., Wang S.

Background: Physical activity (PA) is a key factor of a healthy lifestyle. However, many students do not acquire sufficient PA due to numerous internal and external factors that influence students’ PA levels. Brain Breaks Physical Activity Solution (Brain Breaks®) is an online PA video project based on classroom environment, which is multimedia video technology. It may provide an opportunity to increase school-based PA and other possible benefits. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the impact of Brain Breaks® for students. Methods: A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, OVID, ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost, and Scopus) was performed between February 10, 2022, and March 30, 2022. Studies that investigated the classroom-based Brain Breaks® among students were included. Meta-analyses were conducted in Review Manager 5.3, with effect sizes calculated separately for each subscale outcome assessed. Results: Fifteen articles met the inclusion criteria for the review, and seven provided sufficient data and appropriate design for inclusion in the meta-analyses. Studies mainly investigated different physical activity-related outcomes. Results of the meta-analyses showed Brain Breaks® had a positive effect on students’ attitudes toward physical activity. Including: Benefits (MD = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.46, p =  0.0006), Importance (MD = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.39, p

Lim T.L., Kuan G., Chin N.S., Che Jusoh M.R., Kueh Y.C.

The study aimed was to examine the effect of brain breaks on health-related fitness among indigenous primary school children in Sarawak, Malaysia. The participants were 70 indigenous primary school children (33 male and 37 female) aged 10–12 years old (2.03 ± .78) from two rural schools in Sarawak, Malaysia. The Malaysian National Physical Fitness Standard (SEGAK) test battery was conducted to evaluate the students’ body mass index, muscle strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility. Descriptive statistics and paired-samples t-test were used to analyse the data. The paired-samples t-test based on gender revealed statistically significant difference from pre-test to post-test for both gender in the 3-min step test, push-ups test, curl-ups test, and sit and reach test with p 

Papadopoulos N., Mantilla A., Bussey K., Emonson C., Olive L., McGillivray J., Pesce C., Lewis S., Rinehart N.

Engaging in classroom-based physical activity (PA) breaks may help increase children's subjective wellbeing and enjoyment of PA, important precursors for children to remain engaged in PA. We conducted a systematic review to investigate the effect of brief classroom-based PA interventions on primary school children's subjective wellbeing and enjoyment of PA.Databases were reviewed between the earliest date of records and April 2020. Eligibility criteria included peer-reviewed empirical quantitative or mixed methods studies reporting enjoyment of PA or wellbeing outcomes of participating in a brief classroom-based PA program. Fifteen papers were included. Interventions supported 7022 child participants enrolled at baseline and 6286 children analyzed in interventions across 148 schools.Thirteen studies examined the effect of brief classroom-based PA interventions on subjective wellbeing. Four found a significant positive effect for children in the intervention group (specifically for children's self-efficacy in learning with video exercises, quality of life, and self-confidence). Eight studies examined the effect of brief classroom-based PA interventions on enjoyment of PA. Five studies reported a positive effect for children in the intervention group and only 1 study found a negative effect for 1 grade level of children in the intervention group. The remaining studies with wellbeing and/or enjoyment outcomes reported no significant effect.Findings from these studies indicate that the integration of brief PA breaks may support PA enjoyment and specific self-beliefs and quality of life perceptions that contribute to children's subjective wellbeing. However, more research is needed to confirm this effect.

Bulca Y., Bilgin E., Altay F., Demirhan G.

The Brain Break (BB) short video program is designed to improve physical activity (PA), motor skills, and fitness in children. In this study, we examined the effects of an 8-week short video-based Brain Break (HOPSports Company) PA program within physical education (PE) lessons on fitness and fitness knowledge among students. We studied 62 fifth-grade students (experimental group = 28; control group = 34) in the Ankara, Turkey school district. The experimental group received PE lessons once per week for eight weeks with the BB PA program, with extra videos viewed at home three days per week, while the control group received routine PE lessons during this period. We collected student responses to the Fitness Knowledge Test for Children and the Fitnessgram Test Battery before and after the experimental BB program. Results revealed that the experimental group showed increased fitness and fitness knowledge compared to the control group, showing that the BB PA videos can increase fitness and fitness knowledge in students.

Petrigna L., Roggio F., Trovato B., Zanghì M., Musumeci G.

(1) Background: Children spend an ever-increasing amount of time performing sedentary behaviors, and an important part of their daily life is at school. Learning in an outdoor environment improves children’s physical activity levels, and their cognitive and social spheres. Furthermore, physically active breaks are a solution to reduce sedentary behaviors and improve well-being and academic performance. The study evaluated the published literature on physically active breaks during school hours and explored (a) if the interventions were proposed in an outdoor context and (b) the outcomes of these interventions. (2) Methods: This review collected 31,559 articles from different electronic databases. After the screening, the results were analyzed narratively. (3) Results: 41 studies have been included in the analysis. As reported by the results, most of the interventions took place in the classroom, and only three studies were performed outside. A common aspect of all studies is the feasibility of active breaks, assessing positive outcomes. (4) Conclusions: Physically active outdoor breaks are poorly adopted, highlighting the necessity for deeper study on this topic. Although the protocols considered present differences, generally breaks increase physical activity levels, present positive learning outcomes, and improve social well-being. Furthermore, they are sustainable in terms of time, cost, and effort of the teacher.

Korcz A., Krzysztoszek J., Łopatka M., Popeska B., Podnar H., Filiz B., Mileva E., Kryeziu A.R., Bronikowski M.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of implementation and Physical Education (PE) teachers’ perceived advantages, disadvantages, and encountered difficulties of online PE teaching during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were 1148 professionally active PE teachers from Poland, North Macedonia, Croatia, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Kosovo (613 female, 535 male). A cross-sectional online survey study was performed between May and September 2020 and was done online through an electronic questionnaire. Study results suggest differences in evaluation of online teaching between PE teachers from different countries: a positive evaluation of online teaching reported from teachers from Croatia, Poland, and Bulgaria, neutral in Turkey, and a negative evaluation during that period by teachers in Macedonia and Kosovo. Different ratings of advantages, disadvantages, and difficulties from the studied countries in online teaching in primary and secondary schools were also noted. A lack of proper equipment at home, a lack of proper training for information technology (IT) use, as well as use of different platforms for online teaching were among the highest-ranked difficulties during online teaching. The greatest concerns during online PE teaching were identified in terms of pupils’ safety, the intellectual property of resources, and the quality of curriculum delivery. The results from the study identify the most important areas of teachers work where PE should be supported regarding online teaching.

Zhou Y., He S., Zhou K., Kuan G., Chin M., Kueh Y.C., Sabo A., Popeska B., Durstine J.L.

Background: This study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Attitude toward Physical Activity Scale (APAS) using a cross-sectional design. Methods: The sample consisted of 692 primary students in China (boy 52.6%, girl 47.4%). The mean age of the participants was 9.4 years (SD = 0.92). Psychometric properties of the 57-item APAS was examined using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: The hypothesized seven factors model was supported by CFA (CFI = 0.912, TLI = 0.901, SRMR = 0.041, RMSEA = 0.029) after 22 items were removed and the inclusion of seven residual covariance for items loaded on the same factor. Cronbach’s alphas of the scales ranged between 0.50 and 0.76. The composite reliability (CR) was between 0.50 and 0.75. All inter-factor correlation coefficient was less than 0.85. Conclusions: Findings provided empirical evidence that the Chinese version of the APAS has adequate psychometric properties for assessing attitudes of primary school children in China toward physical activity.

Hidrus A., Kueh Y.C., Norsa’adah B., Chang Y., Kuan G.

Brain Breaks® are structured physical activity (PA) web-based videos designed to promote an interest in learning and health promotion. The objective of this study was to examine its effects on decision balance (DB) which consists of the perceived benefits (Pros) and perceived barriers (Cons) of exercise in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A randomised controlled trial was conducted among people with T2DM at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. The intervention group received Brain Breaks videos for a period of four months. The intervention and control groups completed the validated Malay version of DB questionnaire for five times, at pre-intervention, the first month, the second month, the third month, and post-intervention. Multivariate Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance was performed for data analysis. A total of 70 participants were included (male = 39; female = 31) with a mean age of 57.6 years (SD = 8.5). The intervention group showed a significant change in the Pros and Cons factors of DB scores over time. The intervention group showed significantly higher scores for the Pros (p-value < 0.001) and lower scores for the Cons (p-value = 0.008) factors than the control group. In conclusion, the Brain Breaks video is an effective intervention to improve decisional balance in patients with T2DM to help them in deciding on behaviour change to be more physically active.

Balasekaran G., Ibrahim A.A., Cheo N.Y., Wang P.K., Kuan G., Popeska B., Chin M., Mok M.M., Edginton C.R., Culpan I., Durstine J.L.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of classroom-based Brain Breaks® Physical Activity Solution in Southeast Asia Singaporean primary school students and their attitude towards physical activity (PA) over a ten-week intervention. A total of 113 participants (8–11 years old) were randomly assigned to either an experimental (EG) or a control group (CG), with six classes to each group; the Brain Breaks® group (EG: six classes) and the Control group (CG: six classes). All EG members participated in a Brain Breaks® video intervention (three–five min) during academic classes and the CG continued their lessons as per normal. The student’s attitudes towards PA in both research conditions were evaluated using the self–reported Attitudes toward Physical Activity Scale (APAS), applied before and after intervention. The effects of the intervention on APAS scores were analysed using a mixed model analysis of variance with Time as within-subject and Group as between-subject factors. The analysis revealed evidence in support of the positive effect of classroom video interventions such as Brain Breaks® on student’s attitudes toward benefits, importance, learning, self-efficacy, fun, fitness, and trying to do their personal best in PA. The Brain Breaks® intervention provided a positive significant impact on students in Singapore. This study also revealed that interactive technology tools implemented into the school curriculum benefit students in terms of health and education.

Filiz B.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Brain Breaks® videos on preservice teachers' attitudes towards an Assessment and Evaluation course. The experimental group consisted of 47 preservice teachers of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Teacher. The control group consisted of 55 preservice teachers of the Department of Preschool Education. Pre-test-posttest control group experimental method was used. Data were collected using the attitude scale towards Assessment and Evaluation Course in Education. The experimental group watched Brain Breaks® videos and performed physical activity in the Assessment and Evaluation course for 12 weeks. Brain Breaks® videos improved the experimental group participants' cognitive levels and attitudes towards the Assessment and Evaluation course. However, there was a slight negative shift in the control group participants' attitudes towards the Assessment and Evaluation course. Results indicate that Brain Breaks® videos improve students' attitudes towards academic courses.

Zhou K., He S., Zhou Y., Popeska B., Kuan G., Chen L., Chin M., Mok M.M., Edginton C.R., Culpan I., Durstine J.L.

This study aimed to examine the effects of three-months of classroom-based Brain Breaks Physical Activity Solution (Brain Breaks®) on attitudes toward physical activity levels of primary school children in Henan Province, China. The participants were 704 children enrolled in grades 3–5 who were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. The experimental group participated in Brain Breaks® video intervention for 3–5 min daily, at low-to-moderate intensity for three consecutive months. The control group resumed their normal routine. The children’s attitudes in both groups towards physical activity (PA) were evaluated using the self-reported Attitudes toward Physical Activity Scale (APAS), before and after the intervention. The effects of the intervention on APAS scores were analyzed using mixed model analysis of variance with Time as within-subject, and Group as between-subject factors. The analysis revealed evidence in support of the positive effect of classroom video interventions such as Brain Break on children’s attitudes toward importance, fun, and trying to do their personal best in physical activity. Also revealed was the important role the teacher plays in this process.

Colella D., Monacis D., Limone P.